Gingrich: Most illegal immigrants should leave, reapply to become citizens

MSNBC ^ | 11-25-2011 | Alex Moe

[TitansAFC]

NAPLES, FL -- Presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich defended his immigration policy after days of criticism from other GOP contenders – reiterating that he does not support amnesty -- on Friday night before his largest crowd yet on the campaign trail.

"I am not for amnesty for anyone. I am not for a path to citizenship for anybody who got here illegally," Gingrich told the crowd of roughly 750 people, many of whom were forced to stand in the hallway...........

"I think the vast majority [of illegal immigrants] will go home and should go home and then should reapply. I do not think anybody should be eligible for citizenship,".....

[South40]

Wow. That’s an ad right there. :)

I think you're right. It should be used to demonstrate that just being here 25 does not and should not qualify an ILLEGAL invader for legal status.

[NoGrayZone]

I second this motion. They DO NOT want to assimilate. Kids can’t even wear an American Flag on their t-shirt anymore when they’re celebrating “Mexico Day”.....because it’s OFFENSIVE.

When the American Flag becomes offensive in AMERICA, we are way beyond a serious problem.....which requires a seriously offensive (opp. of defensive) response.

[Yaelle]

You’ll know the Mexican who’s interested in citizenship by their ability to speak English. From my experience, that isn’t many.

---

Bingo. My mom has had the same housekeeper since I was a girl. She could only speak one or two words of English strung together. My mom speaks Spanish to her. I grew up, went to college, then went to live in Europe for a decade, learned another language and an additional local dialect, became fully fluent, came home, been raising my kids here, and to this day my mom’s housekeeper still can’t speak English!

(by the way, my mom sponsored her way back when for reagan’s amnesty, she actually was a refugee from San Salvador. )

[Politicalmom]

#1 This is Free Republic. We tend to use full sentences, capitalize words appropriately, and frown on text language.

#2 This is NOT a Republican site. Many of us have left the GOP, so he won’t be “our” candidate. Ever.

[topfile]

drug lords in your neighborhood

Newt points out the following ....."we must end the practice of “catch and release,” under which dangerous criminals here illegally are caught by law enforcement, but then quickly returned to society. When someone is here illegally and is dangerous, there should be expedited procedures to remove them from the United States as rapidly as possible."

[Lazamataz]

#1 This is Free Republic. We tend to use full sentences, capitalize words appropriately, and frown on text language.

OMG u r jk, rt?

[Rastus]

How many times will these guys find out the hard way what the people want before someone says, “Hey, you know, let’s really campaign on getting these parasites out and controlling our borders?” and means it?

[Politicalmom]

Bwahahahaa!!

Jim has already stated that Gingrich is off the reservation on illegals...amongst other issues.

[shield]

I’m no fan of Meeeeeeeeeechele myself...just to let you know what I discovered she had done. She is a Mitten’s gal, no doubt and a snarky witch.

[Politicalmom]

Oh, please. Those are “hispanic activists” doing what they do best, and that picture has been posted hundreds of times on this website over the years.

[Politicalmom]

Well, everyone knows YOU’RE special, Laz.

:p

[thecodont]

Think of it this way: if there were a place you could go and work for a number of years to acquire property back home in half the time or less than it would otherwise take, wouldn't you be interested? And, if you could sell drugs to the idiots and their children who refuse to hold your illegal presence accountable, imagine the wealth you could create for yourself and family back home.

There was an article in the paper (don't remember which) a year or so ago which chronicled the number of newly-prospering Mexican/Central American villages due to people in America (legal status not mentioned) sending money back home. Might have been in the Los Angeles Times.

[over3Owithabrain]

"I think the vast majority [of illegal immigrants] will go home and should go home and then should reapply.

So now Newt is for deporting MOST of them? How many Newt before it becomes heartless? And you Newties who said it's physically impossible to kick out the millions of illegals, well your Boy Genius Newt is now saying it can be done! Not only that we can bring 'em back too! Deportation-Inportation of millions!! Yeah Newt you're such a genius

[little jeremiah]

BTTT.

[over3Owithabrain]

We should probably all just relax and wait for Newt to laugh this off and say he was just being stupid - like he did with his global warming smoochfest with Nancy Pelosi. “Oh tee hee silly me I guess that was dumb! But don’t forget I’m the smartest guy in the world and can out-debate Obama. Really I’m smart I just get incredibly stupid on very important issues and sell out conservatism. Vote for me!”

[stephenjohnbanker]

” We all were undocumented immigrants coming here for food stamps once, especially the slaves. “

ROTFLMFAO !!

[RainMan]

Your abilty to have disconnected logic is truely amazing.

First you tell me I am naive because I cite it is easier to enforce the law around voter fraud than it is to enforce the law around deportation. (which you have not refuted, you simply called me names).

Next, you tell me I am illogical and cite a law, but dont actually say anything.

So Oldbill, since you are such a Rhodes Scholar, rather than acting like crybabybill and calling me names, tell me exactly how you think we cannot POSSIBLY enforce laws around voter fraud, especially when conviction would be an automatic ticket out of the country, but we are more than capable of rounding up 20 million people who will not want to be found, holding them for trial (yeah, I know, its a bitch but they will still get a day in court ... its that pesky constitution ... innocent until PROVEN guilty ... all 20 million of them) (oh, where will we hold them all?), bulk up our court system to process that many trials (now there is a budget buster for ya), go through God knows how many appeals (someone else was commenting on how this would be a boon to the ACLU ... just the appeals on behalf of the anchor babies alone will create a gordian knot in the legal system), and then actually send them to Mexico (Mexico has fought us on accepting back those we are deporting).

Great logical thinking on your part tho that that would all be easy peasy. So, instead of quoting a law and thinking that makes you sound smart (it did not), tell me exactly how all this is going to be accomplished, and who pray-tell is stupid enough to suggesting that it can actually occur?

Oh, or is logical thinking not your strong point?

[ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas]

2004 NFAP letter co-authored by Gingrich (link to PDF file): "Between 1990 and 2000, the U.S. increased the number of Border Patrol Agents from 3,600 to 10,000. During that same period illegal immigration rose by 5.5 million. Moreover, over the past eight years, more than 2,000 men, women, and children have died attempting to cross into America and seek the opportunity to work and achieve a better life. The status quo is unacceptable and clinging to the status quo -- or tougher versions of it -- is neither conservative nor principled. It has become clear that the only viable approach to reform is combining enforcement with additional legal avenues for those who wish to work in our economy, while also addressing the situation of those already here in the U.S. President Bush has proposed a new legal path to work in the U.S. through a temporary worker program that will match willing workers with willing employers. We applaud the president and believe his approach holds great promise to reduce illegal immigration and establish a humane, orderly, and economically sensible approach to migration that will aid homeland security and free up border-security assets to focus on genuine threats. The president has shown courage by calling on Congress to place reality over rhetoric and recognize that those already working here outside the law are unlikely to leave. Congress can fulfill its role by establishing sufficient increases in legal immigration and paths to permanent residence to enable more workers to stay, assimilate, and become part of America."

Then in May 2011: In the interview on the network's show "Al Punto," which airs Sunday morning, Gingrich explained that during World War II, selective service boards were established so that "every local community could apply common sense to the draft process." Continue Reading "We may want to think about a citizen board that can actually look at things and decide, is this a person that came in two months ago and doesn't nearly have any ties here? Or is this a person who clearly is integrated into the society but unfortunately has been undocumented, therefore, we have to rethink how we are approaching them," he said. Gingrich said he is opposed to creating a pathway to citizenship for people who entered the country illegally, but at the same time he said he doesn't believe in mass deportation. "Somebody who's been here 20 years and is married and has three kids and has been paying taxes and lived a totally peaceful life" but is an undocumented alien might deserve a second chance, he said.

Now Newt says "I think the vast majority will go home and should go home and then should reapply." Note the word "should". Is this a sincere change of heart, or is he saying what his handlers tell him to say?

[onyx]

Great thread. Several deleted comments!

[ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas]

So now Newt is for deporting MOST of them?

No, he said he thinks they will leave, and they should leave. I didn't hear him say the word "deport."